Osaka governor vows to scrap nuclear power generation

[kristopher]

Osaka governor vows to scrap nuclear power generation

OSAKA -- Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto said his government is moving toward abandoning nuclear power generation in the wake of the nuclear crisis at the disaster-crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant.

"I will not approve the construction of another nuclear plant while preventing existing nuclear power stations from continuing to operate (after their contracts with the Osaka Prefectural Government expire), " Hashimoto said during his regular briefing on April 27.

Even though he has no say over the nuclear power stations already in operation in his prefecture, Hashimoto plans to call for prefectural governments in the Kansai region as well as the Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) to join hands to map out a future without nuclear power generation.

Hashimoto is expected to request the Japan Atomic Power Co., KEPCO's main supplier, to suspend operations at its Tsuruga Power Station in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, and to retract its plans to construct two new reactors there. By refusing to approve the construction or the extended operation of nuclear power plants, Hashimoto hopes to achieve a nuclear-free society.

In this photo from a footage of a live camera released by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), black smoke billows from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant in Okumamachi, northeastern Japan, on March 22, 2011. (AP)

During the ...

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110428p2a00m0na011000c.html

[applegrove]

1. Thanks for posting.

[kristopher]

2. Kan says state shares blame for N-crisis

Kan says state shares blame for N-crisis

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday the state shares the blame for the nuclear crisis triggered by accidents at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

"Needless to say, TEPCO is primarily responsible, but the state can't escape blame because it promoted the use of nuclear power," Kan said during a House of Representatives Budget Committee session.

He was responding to questions from Kozo Watanabe of the Democratic Party of Japan, which Kan heads.

The prime minister also said the government was responsible for compensating local people and farming and fishing businesses for the massive amount of damage caused by the nuclear crisis, which was triggered by last month's earthquake and tsunami....

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/20110429dy02.htm

[flamingdem]

3. Let's hope they innovate solutions that do not include nuclear

They have the motivation to innovate and ditch nukes

[kristopher]

4. If there is a motivation for innovation it is preservation.

Fortunately though, we don't need a tremendous amount of innovation - renewables are ready now. We really could use some immediate action, however.